Interview: Corporate social responsibility an important tool for sustainable development: Liz Mohn

We believe that business has an important role to play in making our societies more socially stable, more economically sustainable and, consequently, more peaceful and just," Liz Mohn, vice chairwoman of the Bertelsmann Stiftung, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

"Corporate social responsibility is an important tool for sustainable development, and at the Bertelsmann Stiftung, we have always done a lot of work in this field,"Mohn, who is also a boardmember of the Europe-based media conglomerate, said in the written interview conducted prior to the launch of the annual "More than a Market Award" in Shanghai, China later this month.

The award is designed to highlight social engagement efforts made by German business in China in response to the "More than a Market" initiative launched in 2015.

The initiative, aiming to promote and strengthen the spirit of corporate social responsibilities, was cosponsored by the Bertelsmann Stiftung Foundation, the Shanghai branch of German Chamber of Commerce in China and the German Consulate General in Shanghai.

"I have travelled to China regularly for many years,"Mohn said." The progress I've witnessed here (in China) fascinates me. China has achieved a great deal in recent years, and in many areas."

"The topic of corporate social responsibility has interested me for a long time. Since its establishment in 1977, we at the Bertelsmann Stiftung Foundation have been working on innovative solutions,"she said.

"China and Germany are key partners, economically, politically and socially. The Bertelsmann Stiftung wants to make a positive contribution to the relations between China and Germany," she said, adding that one of the big questions faced by both countries is the role that the private sector should play in society.

Mohn, who represents the 5th generation of the Bertelsmann/Mohn family, said the Bertelsmann Stiftung has done a lot of work in promoting corporate social responsibility, including a well-established award for regional engagement by German companies called "My good example."

"With more than 5,000 German companies now established in China, it was a natural next step to start a similar award in China,"she stressed.

When asked why the social engagement of transnational companies is important in nowadays global markets, Mohn explained that companies are no longer at home in just one country in today's global world.

"They (companies) are at home wherever they have employees, customers or partners,"she stressed.

The "More than a Market" initiative is designed to help achieve that goal and shine a light on the many excellent social projects that already exist, she added.

"Social engagement benefits society as well as the companies, because I am convinced that long-term success of any company depends on how deeply it is rooted in the society it operates in,"Mohn said.

Talking about the award slated to debut later this month, Mohn said one of the main contributions of Bertelsmann Stiftung is organizing the award, ensuring that all applications are reviewed by experienced experts and an independent jury.

"We have shortlisted 15 excellent projects in four categories: small, medium and large companies as well as collaborative projects. There is a large variety of projects, which I believe shows the creativity and resourcefulness of German companies,"she said, "Some of the big topics are education, vocational training, environment and social inclusion."

According to Mohn, one of the most impressive examples is the Taicang Sino-German Handicapped Workshop. Around 80 German companies in the industrial town of Taicang, near Shanghai, have joined forces to establish a state-of-the-art workshop for people with mental disabilities, providing them with meaningful jobs.

"It is not a charity project, but a real business, providing services such as assembling and packaging. This is a very inspiring example of a social business,"she said.

"This initiative is only in its first year, and we have many ideas how to develop it further,"said the vice chairmwoman.

"For example, in the first year, we mainly applied German companies in East China to apply for the awards. Next year we will expand it to German companies in the whole of China."

"Eventually, we hope that this initiative will make a contribution to further intensifying the already very good ties between Germany and China,"she said.

"For Germany, China is indeed much more than just a market. And nothing brings the world closer together than partnerships based on trust!"Mohn stressed.

The Bertelsmann Stiftung, founded by the Bertelsmann/Mohn family more than 180 years ago, operates in around 50 countries around the world. The company has 117,000 employees and generated revenues of 17.1 billion euros (about 19.2 billion U.S. dollars) in the 2015 financial year.

The company established the Bertelsmann Stiftung Foundation in 1977 to promote research and understanding in the areas of culture and the arts, public education, public health, cultural exchange and the development of corporate culture. Endit